Apparatus for generating power.



W. B. VANDERLIP.

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING POWER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29.1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I WITNESS I K IINVENTOR. 5 Z033 M A TTORNE Y5 W B.VANDERLIP.

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING POWER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29.19%.

Patented Aug. 7, 1917.

INVENTOR.

A TTORNEKS' WASHINGTON B. VANDERLIP, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR- GENERATING POWER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au. 7, 1917.

Application filed July 29, 1916. Serial No. 112,111.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVASI-IINGTON B. VAN- nnumr, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Appratus for Generating Power, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an improved method and apparatus forgenerating power by the expansion of the gases generated from theexplosion of what are commonly termed high explosives, such asintro-glycerin.

The in ention consists primarily in the generation of power by theutilization of the gaseous volume, generated by the explosion into asuitable container of highly explosive substances, such asnitro-glycerin and which volume is materially expanded by the explosivetemperature thereof, whereby great power at little cost is obtained.

The present method consists primarily in intermittently exploding orfiring given charges or cartridges of explosive mixtures, such asnitroglycerin or other explosive high in combustion gases and heat unitswhen exploded into a heat insulated cham ber, reservoir or container,either separately or in the presence of water and storing and retainingthe accumulated gases of explosion therein at a high temperature, andthen gradually delivering the stored gases, under pressure, to asuitable engine or motor.

It has been calculated that one volume of nitroglycerin when exploded,generates about 12000 volumes of gas at a temperature of approximatelyeight thousand one hundred and thirty two degrees Fahrenheit, and thatthis temperature expands the generated gases approximately eight timestheir volume, so it will be observed that in the utilizing of thisexplosive in the carrying on of my invention, great power is obtained bythe explosion of a single volume thereof. It has also been calculatedthat one pound of anthracite coal contains approximately nine thousandthree hundred and seventy-nine B. T. U.s, and that a similar quantity ofnitro-glycerin contains over twenty-one millions B. T. U.s, so it willbe observed that from a given quantity of high explosive, much greaterpower is obtained than from the use of a like quantity of coal or otherfuel now universally employed for power purposes.

In the carrying out of my method, an apparatus provided with amechanically unseateu and pressure actuated check valve, intern'iediatethe firing and storage or accurmilating chambers, and opening into thelatter, is desirable, the accumulating pressure in the storage oraccumulating chamber assisting to seat the valve and the same beingactuated intermittently by the successive explosions of the charges orcartridges in the firing chamber and which explode directly against thevalve.

With the above mentioned and other ob jects in view the inventionconsists of the novel construction and combination of parts iereinafterdescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out inthe claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes inthe method and appa atus may be made within the scope of the appendedclaims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

To more fully comprehend the invention, reference is directed to theaccompanying drawings wherein there is disclosed one form of apparatusfor carrying out my method, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation partly in section of the preferred formof apparatus illustrating the accumulating and storage chamber, thefiring chamber, and the cartridge or charge feeding and firing themechanism.

Fig.2 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view of the firing chamberand mechanism, disclosing more particularly the check valve at themuzzle of the firing chamber, the charge positioning ram and the firingpin, and the breech-block for locking the in position.

Fig. 3 is a of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4L is a vertical sectional view of the magazine and charge orcartridge feeding mechanism taken on line 4.% of Fig.

5 is a view in top plan of the magasectional view taken on line 33 zine.

Fig. 6 1s a sectional new of a modified form of barrel and firingchamber, illustrating aform of rotary valve which may be employed eitherindependently of or in combination with the pressure actuated valve,illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 7 is a view in cross section of the cartridge guiding chambers,taken on line 77 of Fig. 2. 7 Referring more particularly to the severalviews of the drawings, wherein like charac. ters of reference designatecorresponding parts, 1 indicates a suitable base, supporting a suitableaccumulating and storage chamher 2 into which the cartridges or chargesare directly exploded, and to insure the maximum of safety, the chamberis provided on its interior with the perforated wall surface 3 arrangedto provide a compartment 3 directly in front of the muzzle of the barrelwhich opens thereinto. The said Walls are braced by the stays 4 whichconnect with the outer wall of the chamber. The chamber is preferablyformed of the spaced outer and v inner walls, A and B, providing a space0,

. chamber 14 and to prevent the radiation of the heat from the gasescontained within the chamber 2,

a vacuum is maintained in the space C in any suitable manner. Forpurposes of illustration, I employ a Venturi tube 5 connecting with thespace C through a connection 6, and extending into the said tube is avalvecontrolled pipe 7 connecting with the interior of the chamber 2,and through which gases under pressure pass when it is de sired to drawthe air from the chamber 3. A gage registers the vacuum drawn in thespace C.

Extending through the walls A to B of the chamber 1 and opening at itsmuzzle into the compartment 3 is a barrel 9 formed With a firing chamber10 extending therethrough and which flares at its muzzle as at 11. Anannular cooling chamber 12, Fig. 2 of the drawings, is provided in thebarrel surrounding the firing chamber 10 and a circulation of coolingfluid is maintained therethrough by the pipes 13 and 13.,

A tubular charge or cartridge guiding connects with the breech end ofthe firin chamber 10 and mounted to reciprocate t erein, is thecartridge positioning and ejecting ram 14, which carries the firing pin15 extending longitudinally therethrough, and of a length slightlygreater than that of the ram.

The ram 14 is reciprocated to intermittently position successivecartridges, each containing a suitable charge of high explosive, withinthe firing chamber by the following mechanism, illustrated in Fig. 1 ofthe drawings. A crank 16 pivoted as at 17 to a bracket 18 on a frame 19,is slotted as at 20, in one of its arms to receive the pin.

0 21 carried by the outer end of the ram and which projects through andoperates in a slot 22 in the wall of the cartridge guiding chamber 14,and 011 each rocking of the crank 16, the ram isreciprocated its fulldistance.

The other arm of said crank 16 is pivotally connected by a link 23,eccentrically of a suitable wheel 24 supported on a shaft 25 and havinggeared connection with a corresponding wheel 26 carried by a shaft 27,which is driven in any suitable manner as by the worm 28 engaging withthe toothed wheel 29, illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The ram 14is provided adjacent its end with the. cutouts 30, providing shoulders30; and when in its forward-most position, is adapted to be locked towithstand the recoil of the exploded cartridge, by a suitable verticallyreciprocating breechblock 31 which operates in an opening 32transversely of the barrel 9. Thebreech-block 31 is slotted at its upperend as at 33, Fig. 3 of the drawings to receive the solid portion 33 ofthe ram, and the bifurcated portions 34 of said breech contact with theshoulders 30 when the block is in its uppermost position.

To reciprocate the breech-block 31 in timed relation with the ram 14, toengage the same immediately after the ram has reached its forward-mostpoint of movement, and to release therefrom, immediately prior to thestarting of each rearward reciprocation, an arm 34 extends from theunderside of the breech-block and operates through a housing 35inclosing the base of the same. The lower end of the arm 34 is connectedthrough 'a link 35 with the face of a toothed pinion 35 intermeshingwith a gear 36 on the shaft 27.

The shells or cartridges 38, each containing a charge of high explosive,preferably nitro-glycerin, rest One above and upon the other in themagazine 39, disposed vertically above the guiding chamber 14, as inFigs. 1, 2 and 4 of the drawings. The shells are intermittently droppedby gravity from the 'mechanism 39 into the chamber 14, by

the spaced inter-connected reciprocating slides 40 and 40, which operatein transverse grooves 41 in the magazine. A rod 42 fulcrumed at itscenter as at 43 to a bracket 43 and pivotally connected at its oppositeends to the slides 40 and 40 controls the movement thereof. Extendingdiagonally across the under face of the lower slide 40, is a guide 42Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, having its front portion hinged as at 43to swing in a forward direction against the tension of the spring 44 andsaid hinged portion is prevented from swinging rearwardly beyond theline of the main portion of the guide 42 by the engaging shoulders 44. Apin 45 carried by the ram 14 and projecting through a slot 46 in thewall of the chamber 14 is adapted on its forward movement when the ramis pushing the shell in the chamber 14 toward the firing chamber 10,.toengage the front or hinged portion of the guide 12 and swing the sameforwardly, which will permit the pin to pass without actuating theslides. On the return movement of the ram, the pin 15 con tacts with thefront face of the hinged portion -12 of the guide %2 causing theshoulders to engage, which prevent the swinging rearwardly of the hingedportion, and the pin is thus caused to travel, the full len th of theguide 12 and in so doing, forces the lower slide %0 outwardly and theupper slide -10 inwardly, permitting the cartric ge ietween the slidesto drop into the chamber 1%. As the pin %5 clears the inner of the guide412 a coiled spring 16 enacting with the lower slide %0 again forces thelower slide inwardly, permitting the lowermost shell now supported bythe upper slide %O to drop on to the lower slide %O, and to be fed in othe chamber 1% on the next reciprocation of the slides.

As the cartridges are fed into the chamber 1% and are pushed forwardlyby the ram 1%, the same are fired in the following manner, immediatelyafter the ram is locked by the cooperating breech-block. A hammer 50,Fig. 1 of the drawings, pivoted to a bracket 51 carried by the frame 19,is adapted to strike and operate the firing-pin 15 when the ram is inits forward-most position. Cooperating with said hammer is triggerpivoted as at with one end portion cooperating with a notched seat inthe hub 5% of the hammer, and the other end is adapted cooperating witha finger releasing lug carried by the periphery of the flange 56 on thetoothed wheel 57 mounted on shaft and driven by a corresponding gear 59carried by the shaft 27. A spring 60 forces the hammer 50 into contactwith the firing pin on the actuation of the trigger 52, and a spring 61normally mainta'iis the notched end of the trigger in contact with thehub of the hammer. The finger or lug 5.3 is timed to contact with andoperate the trigger to release the same from the hammer 50, immediatelyafter the breech-block 31 is forced upwardly to lock the ram inposition, which permits the ham mer to strike the firing pin 15 and firethe shell or charge positioned in the firing chamber. It will beobserved that the rearward reciprocation of the ram 1% engages thehammer 50 and moves the same to be held in cocked position as in Fig. 1by the trigger A check valve 61 having a conical face 62 seating in theconical opening 11 of the firing chamber 10, prevents the escape of theaccumulated gases from the chamber 2 through the firing chamber when theram 1% is moved rearwardly, and to momentarily unseat this valvesimultaneously with the firing of each shell the following mechanism isemployed. The valve is carried by a frame 63 and from the same extendthe guide-rods 6% reciprocating in glands (5% in the barrel 9 and saidrods project rearwardly beyond the barrel as in Figs. 1 and 2, wherethey are connected by the guideframe sliding on the wall of the chamber1%. Coiled springs (56 surrounding the guides and positionedintermediate the frame 65 and a suitable rod-guiding frame 67 throughwhich the rods slide, normally maintain the valve seated. A trip lug orarm 68 is carried by the wheel 57 the lug and said arm 8 is adapted oneach rotation of the wheel, to contact with the guide-frame G5simultaneously with the firing of the positioned cartridge or charge, tounseat the valve, the pressure of the exaloding cartridge or chargefully lifting the valve from its seat to permit the escape of the gasvolume fro n he firing chamber 10 into the accumulating and storingchamber 2.

After the shells are successively fired the same will be withdrawn fromthe firing chamber 10 into the guiding chamber 1% and ejected t ierefromin the following manner. The rim 69 of each shell as successively fed inthe chamber 1% is engaged on the forward movement of the ram 1% by aspring catch or 70 and rides over the eveled face 1 of a correspondingsoring finger or catch 72, projecting upwardly through the bottom wallof the chamber 1%, slightly in a cvance of the magazine and at a pointli in with the rear edge of an ejecting openi g 73, formed in the topwall of the cnfa sei' 1% and of a length slightly greater than that ofthe shell. After the charge has been fired the exploded shell is rapidlydra'v-rn reanwardly by the quick movement of the ram 1% and finger 70,and during its movement the rear face of the rim 69 thereof contactswith the vertical face 7% of the catch 72, which resists the rearwardmovementof the shell and permits the finger 70 and catch 72 to flip theforward end of the shell upwardly and to eject the same through theopening 73.

A water supply connection 7% having an inlet 75 communicating withchamber 2 and controlled by a valve 76 actuated by a suitable thermostat77 within the chamber, supplies a given quantity of water to the chamberat all. times, to reduce the temperature thereof. The water is admittedinto the chamber 2 in the form of a fine spray, and immediately onentering the same will be converted into steam, due to the hightemperature of the exploded gases within the chamber, and will add aconsiderable volume in the form of steam to the gases contained withinthe chamber.

The accumulated gases under pressure are released from the chamber 2 toactuate any suitable power apparatus through an outlet pipe 7 8controlled by valve 7 9, and said pipe having mounted thereon a pressuregage 80 and a safety valve 81.

In the modified form of barrel disclosed in Fig. 6 of the drawings, arotary valve 82 is illustrated to control the passage of the explodedgases from the firing chamber into the accumulating chamber 2, and saidvalve is provided with a port 82 adapted when the valve is rotated byany suitable mechanism connected to the arm 88 of the valve, to alinewith the bore in the firing-chamber.

In utilizing the above. described apparatus for the carrying out of mypresent method of producing power, charges of high explosive compoundare fired into a suitable closed chamber preferably in the presence ofwater, and are retained therein under a high temperature until releasedtherefrom to operate any suitable source of power.

It will be apparent that owing to the low cost and high results obtainedby the use of high explosives great power at little cost is generated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An apparatus for producing power comprising a pressure accumulatingand storage chamber, a barrel opening thereinto and provided with afiring chamber, means for intermittently positioning cartridgescontaining explosive charges within said firing chamber, means forsuccessively exploding said positioned cartridges, means for ejectingthe exploded cartridges, a check valve intermediate the firing chamberand said pressure accumulating chamber and seated by the accumulatedpressure within said chamber, and a valve-controlled outlet within saidchamber for releasing the accumulated pressure therefrom.

2. An apparatus for producing power comprising a pressure accumulatingand storage chamber, a barrel opening into said chamber, and providedwith a firing chamber, cartridges containing explosive charges withinsaid firing chamber, means for successively exploding said positionedcartridges, means for ejecting the exploded cartridges, a check valveintermediate the firing chamber and said pressure accumulating chamberand seated by the accumulated pressure within the said chamber, meansfor unseating said valve simultaneously with the exploding of the chargein each cartridge, and a valve controlled outlet within said chamber forreleasing the accumulated pressure therefrom.

3. An apparatus for producing power comprising a double walled pressureaccumulating and storage chamber, means for drawing a vacuum between thewalls of said chamber, a barrel opening into said chamber, and providedwith a firing-chamber, means for intermittently positioning cartridgescontaining explosive charges within said firing-chamber, means forsuccessively exploding said positioned cartridges, means for ejectingthe exploded cartridges, a checkvalve intermediate the firing chamber,and said pressure accumulating chamber and seated by the accumulatedpressure within said chamber, means for unseating the valvesimultaneously with the exploding of the charge in each cartridge, and avalve controlled outlet within said chamber for releasing theaccumulated pressure therefrom.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WASHINGTON B. VANDERLIP.

Witnesses:

HARRY H. TOTTEN, D. B. RICHARDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

means for intermittently positioning

